Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[C Siena]

I’ve never been particularly interested in having cuddly birds. With the exception of Big Red and two serama hens, I can’t easily touch any of the others. I find the trust that they have placed in me, making them comfortable enough to exhibit their natural behaviours in my presence far more rewarding.

At the same time, I really enjoy the incubator process. It has nothing to do with getting them accustomed to me, but rather how fascinating I find watching the embryo develop, the precision with which it pips, and zips. Of course, all this comes with great negative side effects for the chick itself, so I’m really trying to cut back on artificial incubation, even if that’s easier said than done

I'm always excited to see an egg hatch But I cannot see the entire process with a broody. This spring, I used an incubator for the first time. I was constantly checking the eggs on day 20, especially the ones rocking.

I was able to film/video a chick zip to hatch! The pip was there for a few hours, and then the beak at the pip, I decided to video. It was about 5 minutes once the zipping began. Awesome! Life! The chick working, struggling to zip the shell and get out and survive.

 

[fluffycrow]

This is POW worthy.

Really?! Wow, thank you! I loved capturing that moment on camera, but I also thought it wasn’t too share-worthy, since it’s quite shaky.

I love that picture.

Thanks RC! This photo was part of a series I had captured. The very next photo, “ooh, is that food”…

 

[Shadrach]

No creature should come into this world hatched or birthed by a machine not knowing it's parents...

I've watched chicks pip and zip and hatch, dry out and do their first stumble to the head of their mother. Granted it wasn't continuous viewing, every five minutes or so. What's more I've watched it, just the one chick hatch, in a wild nest. She hatched three eventually.
I found a few hens were not bothered by having a hand slid under her and lifted enough to see what was going on.

 

[C Siena]

No creature should come into this world hatched or birthed by a machine not knowing it's parents...

I've watched chicks pip and zip and hatch, dry out and do their first stumble to the head of their mother. Granted it wasn't continuous viewing, every five minutes or so. What's more I've watched it, just the one chick hatch, in a wild nest. She hatched three eventually.
I found a few hens were not bothered by having a hand slid under her and lifted enough to see what was going on.

Unfortunately we have no choice if we want more chickens. If we use an incubator, at least I am going to the brooder many times a day to check, feed by hand and I talk to them.
If we purchase from a feed store, they are taken from mother right away, put in a box and shipped for 2-3 days to the store.

We do have a breeder 1/2 hour away but most of his are either bantam or have feathered legs, which we didn't want.

I'll view the chicks we purchase or hatch as adopted since none of our 17 layers are broody. Buckeye, Marans mix, ISA & Cin Queen (production I know), Barred Rock, RIR & Sapphire Gem.

If one would be broody, I would prefer that. The layers are 26 and 14 months old. Maybe one of the pullets will be broody next year.

 

[Shadrach]

Unfortunately we have no choice if we want more chickens. If we use an incubator, at least I am going to the brooder many times a day to check, feed by hand and I talk to them.
If we purchase from a feed store, they are taken from mother right away, put in a box and shipped for 2-3 days to the store.

We do have a breeder 1/2 hour away but most of his are either bantam or have feathered legs, which we didn't want.

I'll view the chicks we purchase or hatch as adopted since none of our 17 layers are broody. Buckeye, Marans mix, ISA & Cin Queen (production I know), Barred Rock, RIR & Sapphire Gem.

If one would be broody, I would prefer that. The layers are 26 and 14 months old. Maybe one of the pullets will be broody next year.

The story of the last chick to be hatched in an incubator while I was in Catalonia.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/post-20295718

 

[Shadrach]

Maybe one of the pullets will be broody next year.

I hope so to. I understand many people don't see a choice in how they start/keep a group of chickens; not being allowed a rooster makes life more difficult still.

Watching a hen sit and hatch and then raise her chicks is, and I don't often use this word, awesome.

 

[C Siena]

I hope so to. I understand many people don't see a choice in how they start/keep a group of chickens; not being allowed a rooster makes life more difficult still.

Watching a hen sit and hatch and then raise her chicks is, and I don't often use this word, awesome.

I am pleased that we began this way, with the bantam silkie. She and her sister raised 3 clutches for us. They could only really set on 7 eggs. They hatched 2, then 5 (2 cockerels), the following year 7, yea, except 5 were cockerels. It was still a pleasure to watch them hatch, get under her wings, peek their tiny heads through the wings and watch her teach them and talk to them.

I'm thinking that placing the chicks we hatched in the incubator, in a brooder in the coop early (I'll try 1 week old next spring), helped them adjust.

After reading you article on roosters, I hide the eggs when I collect them so George (Buckeye senior roo) cannot see them.

 

[C Siena]

The story of the last chick to be hatched in an incubator while I was in Catalonia.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/post-20295718

Why were there only 3 eggs to be incubated? Curious as I wouldn't want a chick to be alone and wouldn't like the odds for 3.

 

[Shadrach]

Why were there only 3 eggs to be incubated? Curious as I wouldn't want a chick to be alone and wouldn't like the odds for 3.

Because the people I worked for didn't know better.

 

[C Siena]

Because the people I worked for didn't know better.

You must have the patience of Job. Such as Chris and the Animal Farm dinner group. Sad that people who are supposed to take care of animals (and humans), sometimes don't care. I glad you do. We are blessed with your knowledge that you share. Thank you.